Acquisition

Smith (DS) PLC
16 July 2002

16 July 2002



DS Smith extends its global liquid packaging operations by acquiring Zewathener

DS Smith Plc (LSE:SMDS), the international packaging and office products
supplier,  has agreed to acquire 100% of the shares of Zewathener GmbH.  51% of
the shares will be acquired from SCA Packaging and the remaining 49% of the
shares will be acquired from the current management, represented by Paku-Pack
Papier - und Kunststoff Verpackungen GmbH.

Zewathener, located in Schwetzingen, Germany, is one of Europe's leading
manufacturers of bag-in-box packaging, which is used extensively for a variety
of catering applications and for wine retailing.  The Company had net assets of
€2.9 million at 31 December 2001.  Its turnover in 2001 was €21.7 million and it
employs approximately 80 people.

This acquisition supports DS Smith's strategy to develop its global liquid
packaging and dispensing business.  The Zewathener business complements DS
Smith's existing bag-in-box business which operates under the Rapak brand and it
will strengthen the Group's position in continental Europe.  Rapak is one of the
world's leading suppliers of bag-in-box packaging.

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Enquiries:

David Buttfield, Finance Director, DS Smith Plc - 020 7932 5000
Peter Aubusson, Group Communications Manager, DS Smith Plc - 020 7932 5000



Note to Editors

DS Smith Plc is an international Group focused on packaging manufacturing and
office products wholesaling.  The Group's packaging operations are fibre or
polymer based and its paper operations use waste paper for the majority of their
raw material.  The Group employs 10,900 people across 16 countries and had a
turnover of £1,440.2 million in 2001/02.

DS Smith Plastics, the Group's plastic packaging division, is focused on liquid
packaging and dispensing, and industrial returnable transit packaging (RTP).  It
operates from locations in the UK, France, Belgium, Germany, Spain, Portugal,
Poland, USA, Dominican Republic, Israel, Australia and New Zealand.  Liquid
packaging incorporates bag-in-box systems and injection moulded taps and
dispensers.  RTP includes thermoformed transit packaging for returnable
container and pallet systems, extruded sheets in solid and multi-wall
(corrugated plastic) form and injection moulded returnable bottle crates.

Further information may be obtained from our websites:
www.dssmith.uk.com
www.dssmith-plastics.com



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